1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of digital medical imagery and in particular to the automated routing of digitized medical images from a plurality of image sources or modalities, to a plurality of destinations using a multiple rules language to determine the destinations in accordance with an incoming image data set.
2. Description of the Related Art
Digital medical imaging systems provide for the generation, storage, transportation, processing, and presentation of digitized medical images in health care facilities. These systems have become an integral part of hospital management systems. Digital medical imaging systems are referred to as picture archiving and communication systems (PACS). In the past, raw radiographic data or x-ray film was distributed manually to radiologists. Radiographs were copied and hand delivered to the physicians and radiologists. Otherwise, the physician came to the radiology department to view the x-ray film. Manual delivery is not always practical. Physicians require imagery quickly to determine the best course of treatment for a patient. Utilizing a PACS connected to image sources and destinations via a digital network enables hospitals to send images to a plurality of destinations. Destinations typically comprise workstations, archival facilities, printers or other equipments defined as a network destination. PACS were initially developed to provide improved image accessibility, reduced image handling overhead, reduced costs and improved diagnostic image quality. PACS have become widely accepted. The tremendous mount of data involved in PACS present a new set of problems related to limited storage, processing and network transmission delays which can present unacceptably long response times to physicians who issue an image viewing request.
Contemporary hospitals and diagnostic clinics utilize PACS digital medical imagery to acquire, analyze, study, and store medical imagery. Typically, medical imagery is generated by a variety of source devices or modalities such as x-ray machines and magnetic resonance imaging devices. Medical imagery source devices typically connect directly to dedicated readers, printers and storage devices. Medical imagery, however, is ideally distributed to a variety of locations for viewing, printing or storage. Thus, a dedicated transmission line is inappropriate. A major advantage of digital imaging systems is the ability to directly transmit an image to multiple locations.
Typical digital imaging systems however have imposed limitations on the selection criteria for determining destination(s) for a medical image. Typical digital imaging systems utilize software processes which rely on a single element in a message to designate a single destination. Use of a single element limits the number of destination points to which an image is sent. Moreover, an image destination is defined only if the single element matches a selection criterion. Physicians, however, typically move between different areas of a hospital or to off-site facilities. Moreover, their varied work schedules dictate flexibility in where an image should be sent. Thus, the single element designation designator is too restrictive to accommodate flexibility in determining a destination. Thus, this typical digital imagery system is too restrictive to accommodate most health care environments.
Typical digital imaging systems require human intervention to effectuate movement of medical images to their appropriate destination(s). The user interface for image movement is typically awkard. Typical user interfaces confuse the user, making the system difficult to operate. User input commands require numerous keystrokes and involve tedious command formats. Thus, the typical user interface actually induces operator errors which can delay image transmission. Also, due to the spate of devices and different vendor protocols, the typical digital imaging system does not provide the ability to transmit to equipments that are not compatible with a particular system or those located on another network.
Workstation operators who may be experts in their chosen medical field, are often less than computer-literate and have no desire to become so. These operators (hospital technologists, radiologists, attending or consulting physicians) typically focus on the tasks of accessing, viewing, displaying and printing medical imagery. They are frustrated by the task of routing, deleting and maintaining medical images and destination points for physicians which has become cumbersome.
Thus there is a need for a simple, automated routing process that automatically determines multiple destination points and criteria specific for a particular image.